Governor’s wife is cooking in Pasco
Florida’s First Lady Ann Scott, right, presents her cookbook, ‘Viva la Florida,’ to Pasco County commissioner Kathryn Starkey during a visit in August to the Pasco Federated Women’s Club. The event was part of an afternoon tea in the home of Jay Starkey, and was sponsored by Shawn Foster. The Florida Governor’s Mansion Foundation published the cookbook.
Starkey, Mulieri to host town halls
Pasco County commissioner Kathryn Starkey will host a town hall meeting Sept. 24 beginning at 7 p.m., at Seven Oaks Elementary School, 27633 Mystic Oak Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.
Then on Sept. 29, Commissioner Pat Mulieri will have a community meeting at 7 p.m. at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.
Starkey will be joined by members of the Pasco County staff, and possibly state Sen. John Legg and state Rep. Will Weatherford, as well.
Among the topics to be discussed include budget issues like the gas tax, an update on new development in the area, a new baseball sports facility, transportation issues — including Overpass Road — and new area schools.
Mulieri will be on-hand with representatives from the county utilities department to talk about water and utility concerns for those living in the communities of Wilderness Lakes Preserve and Lake Padgett.
For information about the town hall, call (727) 847-8100.
Danish, Harrison stay even in money race
Shawn Harrison is trying to return to Tallahassee by unseating an incumbent. But if fundraising efforts are any indication, it’s still a pretty close race.
Harrison, who is looking to represent state House District 63, has raised a little more than $129,300 in his bid, including an additional $2,000 he picked up the last week of August, according to state campaign finance records. The Democrat who holds the seat, Mark Danish, is close to $96,000 in fundraising, including $3,350 picked up that same week.
Harrison’s money came from two groups he founded — the political action committee called the Committee for an Innovative Florida, and his law firm. He also received $3,000 in labor costs from the state Republican Party.
Danish picked up $2,750 from PACs himself, including $1,000 from a group that represents the Florida AFL-CIO unions, and $500 from the Duke Energy Corporation Florida PAC. He got some help from his own state party, with the Florida Democratic Party providing more than $2,000 in staff help.
Harrison still has nearly $46,500 in cash available to his campaign, while Danish has kept nearly $66,300 in the bank.
Robocalls will happen, but there are rules
Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley has told voters in a recent newsletter that robocalls might be plaguing many ahead of the November election, but reminding them that none of them are affiliated with his office.
Political parties and candidates who utilize robocalls have to comply with state law, and both major political parties — as well as candidates — have legally used this technology to encourage voters to request a vote-by-mail ballot, conduct get-out-the-vote efforts, and surveys, Corley said.
Political candidates and parties can request parts of a voter’s registration form that is legally available to the public — which is virtually everything outside of Social Security numbers and driver’s license numbers. Also part of the public record are email addresses, which can be made available to political parties and anyone else submitting public records requests.
“For this reason, and to protect voters, I do not encourage voters to provide their email addresses,” Corley said in the newsletter.
Opponent’s week off doesn’t help Steinberg fundraising
After a seven-week period where he raised nearly $123,000, state Rep. James Grant took a break during the last week of August to raise just $100, as he faces a fellow Republican in a rare November open primary.
The $100 was from an individual donation from a Tampa resident, but is added to the $178,480 Grant has collected so far to try and keep his seat in state House District 64.
Miriam Steinberg, on the other hand, just started raising outside money, picking up $1,300 at the end of August. That all came from taxicab companies, with $1,000 from United Cab Cos., and $300 from Cab Plus Inc.
Grant has nearly $97,000 in cash still available to him, while a personal loan to the campaign back in June is the only thing keeping Steinberg in the black. She has a little more than $1,500 on hand.
Ledbetter gets nod from progressive group
Beverly Ledbetter has earned the endorsement from Democracy For America in her attempt to become the new representative for state House District 38 in Tallahassee.
The Democrat is facing Republican Danny Burgess in the general election.
Democracy For America is a Vermont-based national organization that pushes for universal health care, marriage equality, reversal of the so-called Citizens United Supreme Court decision, and what it says is strengthening of the middle class.
Both Ledbetter and Burgess are looking to replace current House speaker Will Weatherford, who is stepping down because of term limits.
